Role of Biobanks for Cancer Research and Precision Medicine in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of gastrointestinal cancer 2021-12, Vol.52 (4), p.1232-1247
• Main Authors: Korhan, Peyda, Tercan Avcı, Sanem, Yılmaz, Yeliz, Öztemur Islakoğlu, Yasemin, Atabey, Neşe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological Specimen Banks; Biomedical Research - methods; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - therapy; Computational Biology; Gastroenterology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Invited Reviews; Liver Neoplasms - epidemiology; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - therapy; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Oncology; Precision Medicine - methods; Radiotherapy
• ISSN: 1941-6628; 1941-6636
• DOI: 10.1007/s12029-021-00759-y

Introduction Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a highly complex and deadly cancer. There is an urgent need for new and effective treatment modalities. Since the primary goal in the management of cancer is to cure and improve survival, personalized therapy can increase survival, reduce mortality rates, and improve quality of life. Biobanks hold potential in leading to breakthroughs in biomedical research and precision medicine (PM). They serve as a biorepository, collecting, processing, storing, and supplying specimens and relevant data for basic, translational, and clinical research. Objective We aimed to highlight the fundamental role of biobanks, harboring high quality, sustainable collections of patient samples in adequate size and variability, for developing diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers to develop and PM approaches in the management of HCC. Method We obtained information from previously published articles and BBMRI directory. Results and Conclusion Biobanking of high-quality biospecimens along with patient clinical information provides a fundamental scientific infrastructure for basic, translational, and clinical research. Biobanks that control and eliminate pre-analytical variability of biospecimens, provide a platform to identify reliable biomarkers for the application of PM. We believe, establishing HCC biobanks will empower to underpin molecular mechanisms of HCC and generate strategies for PM. Thus, first, we will review current therapy approaches in HCC care. Then, we will summarize challenges in HCC management. Lastly, we will focus on the best practices for establishing HCC biobanking to support research, translational medicine in the light of new experimental research conducted with the aim of delivering PM for HCC patients.